One night stand

Posted by GPP on September 21, 2003

In Reply to: One night stand posted by Bruce Kahl on September 21, 2003

: : : : what does "stand" mean in "one night stand"?

: : : From Merriam-Webster online:

: : : Main Entry: one-night stand
: : : Function: noun
: : : Date: 1880
: : : 1 : a performance (as of a play or concert) given (as by a traveling group of actors or musicians) only once in each of a series of localities
: : : 2 a : a locality used for one-night stands b : a stopover for a one-night stand
: : : 3 : a sexual encounter limited to a single occasion; also : a partner in such an encounter

: : could stand be replaced with other words?

: Yes, try "occurence".

But spell it "occurrence". For a performance, use "gig". For a one-time sexual encounter, use "stand"--"one-night stand" is a phrase. "Occurrence" would be used in the expression "a one-time occurrence", not "one-night".

• One night stand Bruce Kahl 22/September/03